From celebrating our 25th Anniversary to preparing for a name change that reflects all aspects of our mission, 2022 was a landmark year for the Center for Justice Innovation! We expanded our work across and beyond the justice system to develop new, creative, and community-led strategies that promote safety, fairness, and equity.
The videos below are part of our broader digital annual report that tells our story of impact in the last year. Read our 2022 Annual Report for more highlights!
Youth in the Lead: Reimagining Public Spaces in Brownsville
Our Brownsville Youth Leadership Council brought together a cohort of young people to identify and address community needs and serve as ambassadors in their neighborhood. In one project, youth leaders gathered feedback from Brownsville residents about areas that felt unsafe and organized placemaking projects to transform and breathe new life into them. Each location—formerly affected by disinvestment and neglect—now serves as a much-needed space for community engagement, group activities, and collective healing.
Expanding Alternatives to Incarceration at Manhattan Justice Opportunities
As cities and states across the country seek to reduce the harms of incarceration and enhance public safety, New York is pioneering an innovative response to serious crime. Launched in 2019, the Manhattan Felony Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) Court—an initiative of New York County Supreme Court—expands on the well-documented successes of specialized drug and mental health courts to offer alternatives to incarceration for all types of felony cases, including violent offenses. Our Manhattan Justice Opportunities program partners with the court, as well as local prosecutors, defense attorneys, and community-based service providers to conduct clinical assessments and design individualized treatment plans to address the underlying needs that bring individuals into contact with the justice system. Participants are connected to resources that enable lasting change, from mental health and substance use treatment to education, housing, and employment services. As Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg puts it, “We’re not going to prosecute or incarcerate our way to public safety.”
Connecting People with Services: A Housing Resource Fair in Harlem
In August 2022, the Harlem Community Justice Center hosted a Housing Resource Fair that connected local residents with a wide range of agencies and providers to help them access key services, such as rent relief, critical home repairs, and legal services to fight evictions. The fair showcased the tremendous demand for housing stability services in the East Harlem community and Justice Center’s ongoing efforts to help residents access resources and tenant protections close to their homes.
Transforming Justice Together: Celebrating 25 Years of Reform
On May 17, 2022, we celebrated the Center’s 25th anniversary by reflecting on our achievements, thanking our partners and supporters, and honoring four innovators in the realm of justice. Honorees included community innovator and artist Shaun Leonardo; corporate innovator JPMorgan Chase; philanthropic innovator the Tow Foundation; and former New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman for a lifetime of achievement. “In order to achieve something, you have to be persistent,” said Judge Lippman. “The human beings who populate the Center for Court Innovation are the most persistent people I know.”